Thursday, April 22, 2010

I'm heading to Kauai tomorrow for 2 weeks. I'll visit my favorite places that I've posted about in the past .... Glass Beach, Mermaids, Poipu Beach, Maha`ulepu ........ but this time I'll also be in a wedding. Michael's cousin has asked us to stand up for her and her beau. I'm excited about this but then realized this meant wearing a wedding type dress. I remembered a dress I purchased years ago at the Victorian Cowgirl in Sedona, AZ. The perfect dress for a sunset wedding on the beach I thought, until I put it on. I realized it didn't quite fit me the way it had when I bought it, especially in the tummy and butt areas. How did this happen??

With this dilemma that was presented to me I found myself in the lingerie department of Macy's. "I need a tummy tucker and a butt smoother, something that makes me less lumpy, is there such a thing?" I told the young, chirpy salesclerk. I'm looking at her thinking, how does someone that age know anything about or have an understanding of the under gadgets I'm inquiring about? I perused through the racks and picked out a slip that had a crotch in it that snapped so the slip doesn't ride up. It was lightweight and didn't have the mongo molded bra attached. The salesclerk brought me a few items - a one piece shaper with the mongo bra, a girdle with thigh length legs, and a spandex corset looking thing - to add to the slip I'd picked out to try on. I tried the slip slimmer on first and miracles of miracles it fit and it wasn't uncomfortable! It was the first thing I tried on and it was what I wanted needed. I cried with delight "I think this will work, look"! The salesclerk agreed as the woman in the next booth inquired "Can I see what you're talking about, it sounds like something I could use?" I described it to her as I was taking it off and then shoved in under the dressing stall wall for her to see. She exclaimed "oh, it's $55.00" I said "yeah, not cheap but less expensive than liposuction".

(this is not me nor do I look like this in the slip)

The faceless woman proceed to tell me she was trying on bathing suits. I thought I need one of those too and with my luck in the undergarment department I should go for the suit too. The cheery, smiley salesclerk was so thrilled to be picking swim suits out with me, she gathered an armload and we hauled them back to the dressing room. I didn't have the same luck and after several tries of various suits I left the store with a hang dog look. But wait I have the slimmer I told myself, so pour yourself into your old suit one more time and be happy! I mean I'm going to Kauai right?

Monday, April 19, 2010

When I began making these scarves, sewn with water soluble stabilizer, I had help sewing them from my sister Jan. When I got a batch of them back from her I noticed she had started naming them and I liked that idea. So now when I finish one I try to name it. Sometimes the name comes immediately and sometimes I end up emailing back and forth with Jan (she's really good at this) trying to decide what it should be named.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Anyone who lives in the local area is welcome to sign up for this class. I'd love to have many of you join me, however, there is a limited number of people I can take so we're not overcrowded, that number would be 12. Of course if you have any questions email me lasfibers@yahoo.com

guerilla: (noun) member of a small fighting force taking independent, irregular action.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn about dyes and coloring fabrics, ribbons, and laces using solid color vat dye, arashi shibori (shibori is a Japanese resist technique and loosely translated arashi means “storm sky” or “wind driven rain”), or other resist dye techniques then come spend the day guerilla dyeing with other like minded dye enthusiasts!

Procion and Sabraset/Lanaset dyes will be premixed for us to play with. I will discuss mixing of dyes and answer questions you might have but for safety issues and time constraints I will have dyes ready for use.

A kit of silk fabric pieces, some ribbons and lace, silk cord, and silk yarns is included in the workshop fee. If you have special bits of vintage lace or fabric remnants feel free to bring them. Remember that natural fibers (silk, cotton, hemp, wool. etc.) will take dye, even some nylons, but polyester and synthetics will not. I’ll demonstrate some easy resist techniques and how to “vat” dye in a microwave then we can spend the day coloring our world of materials.

To get further info and to download an application go here. (I've also posted this in the list of workshops on the side bar of this blog)

Friday, April 9, 2010

SCMAC in Ben Lomond, CA has a new format that began in Jan. Instead of having a new gallery show each month targeted to a theme or art genre it is now set up as a gift shop with all artist made items. Every three months artists submit new work and the gallery is changed out. Tonight is the opening reception from 6-9 for the next three month period of artworks. Fabulous items and the receptions are always fun! I won't be able to attend this one as I have to be at the CNCH fashion show tonight but for area people if you're not going to CNCH then by all means try to get to the reception at SCMAC! I have some of my scarves in this showing.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

I have been dabbling at creating interesting flowers out of fabrics, mostly silk, to adorn garments with. Some of these I'm happy with and others I feel need to be perfected a little, but it's fun to experiment.

I found this blog where Kim has shown her fabric roses and you'll can see a demo too. Aren't they lovely? Here are the ones I tried with this technique. They don't look as inviting as hers but I think there is potential for me.

This flower has a ways to go before I'm happy with it and perhaps this idea will not come to fruition? I made the flower from dyed velvet, added a silk yoyo that I had stamped a saying on and attached by sewing Tahitian fresh water pearls.

You can view some fabulous sewn silk blooms at Jennifer's etsy shop. Jennifer and I are teaching a class at Art Unraveled "Wayward Blooms to Dye For" where you can learn to dye silk fabrics and ribbons and create your own blooms!

Monday, April 5, 2010

I posted some photos of a store I visited in Wimberley, Texas as the River House but what happened is I picked up several cards from places and thought that was where I had visited but the store I loved (and my friend Michele works at) is Brocante so here is the link to that store, fabulous!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Conference for Northern California Handweavers is starting next week. For several years I was part of that conference in one way or another. I entered the fashion show,chaired the fashion show a couple of years, took seminars and workshops, helped set up galleries, and even had a vendor booth one year. The last several years I have not been part of it but this year I was asked to be one of the judges of the fashion show garments. I am very excited and honored. The fashion show will take place Friday, April 9th at the Santa Clara Convention Center. I was asked to be a guest artist and submitted several of my garments to be in the show. On Saturday morning I will be one of three other judges to score the garments. The scores will decide if the garment gets a ribbon and/or a special honor. My garments will not be judged for obvious reasons and that is just fine with me.

Pictured is one outfit that I entered for the show. The vintage slip dress is hand dyed as is the ribbon rosettes (handcrafted by my friend Jennifer) and trim adorning it. The "wayward threads" stole is sewn from hand dyed vintage satin ribbon and various yarns and laces.

Obviously this garment is not handwoven. There is an ongoing debate with handweaving guilds about changing bylaws and rules of entry. The issue is that many weaving guilds are now opening themselves up to other areas of fiber related arts. Generally the weaving guilds consider spinning, dyeing, and weaving to be part of this art genre. But many weavers also dabble in other fiber arts or go onto to something different such as quilting, wearable art, knitting, and felting. To not lose membership and to keep the guilds alive they are beginning to accept the group as all fiber arts and not specifically weaving. Then again there are those who think it should be strictly weaving related, and quilters should be a separate group, as should knitters and crocheters. It gets tricky walking this line and trying to satisfy everyone.

If you live in the area and want to attend I believe you can find information about that at the website for CNCH. There are also many exhibits along with vendors and you may want to visit on other days and times that the conference is being held.

Altered Couture Magazine

I am primarily a fiber artist: a weaver, a dyer of cloth, creator of altered cloth books and art, and a designer of garments and accessories. I have a studio in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California where I immerse myself in projects and gaze out over the hills to the Monterey Bay. I write a little poetry from time to time and songs too. I have a great family, two sons, a husband, and joint custody of 2 cats, Moo and Ducky.